787 fleet fitted with new software

Boeing's 787 fleet has been fully upgraded to operate the latest electrical system software that was developed following the fire aboard test aircraft ZA002 in November, the airframer has confirmed.

The test fleet had been flying with an interim patched version, and ZA006, the last aircraft to be fitted with the software - dubbed v10.4C - completed the installation in late April.

Further, Boeing continues to refine weights of it 787-9, due in 2013, upping the maximum take-off weight of the 250- to 290-passenger aircraft from 247t to 251t, while preserving the 8,000-8,500nm (14,800-15,700km) range. The 251t MTOW also aims to be the target payload weight for the yet unannounced 787-10, said one industry official.

The MTOW increase is the third such change for the 787-9, which initially began its design life at 245t, with a range of 8,600-8,800nm.